Abraham Portal
Abraham Portal (baptised 10 May 1726 - 1809) was an English poet and playwright.by M. Clare Loughlin-Chow, Portal, Abraham, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, , Oxford University Press, 2004. Web, Sep. 7, 2016. Life Portal was born in Clowne, Derbyshire, the son of Mary Magdalene Findlater (Maure) (died 1754) and Rev. Peter William Portal (1685-1768),Abraham Portal, Geni.com. Web, Sep. 7, 2016. an Anglican clergyman and member of a Huguenot family which had emigrated from France to England from in 1666. Abraham Portal started in life as a goldsmith and jeweller on Ludgate Hill, but lost money both in this trade and that of bookselling, and finished his career as a box-keeper at Drury Lane Theatre.Seccombe, 166. He married Elizabeth Nethersole (1723–1758), the daughter of a lieutenant in the marines, on 21 August 1748, at St George's Chapel, Mayfair. She died in 1758, and in that year Portal married Elizabeth Bedwell (1739/40–1808). They had 9 children, 6 of whom survived into adulthood: Elizabeth Portal (1759–1834), Mary Portal (1762–1803), Ann Cracroft Portal (1766–1843), Martha Portal (1768–1855), William Nash Portal (1770–1804), and Richard Brinsley Portal (1784–1859). It appears from his Poems that Portal was a close friend of Dr. John Langhorne, the translator of Plutarch. His other friends included Edmund Cartwright and John Scott of Amwell.Abraham Portal (1735 ca.-1796 fl.), English Poetry, 1579-1830, Center for Applied Technologies in the Humanities, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. Web, Sep. 7, 2016. Writing Portal's writings include: #‘Olindo and Sophronia: a Tragedy,’ the story taken from Tasso, two editions, 1758, London, 8vo. #‘The Indiscreet Lover: a Comedy,’ performed at the Haymarket for the benefit of the British Lying-in Hospital in Brownlow Street; dedicated to the Duke of Portland; two editions, London, 1768, 8vo. Baker remarks of this piece that "charity covereth a multitude of failings." Genest, however, finds two of the characters, Old and Young Reynard, "excellent." To the printed copies is appended a list of "errata," in which the reader is requested to substitute polite periphrases for coarse expressions in the text. #‘Songs, Duets, and Finale,’ from Portal's comic opera ‘The Cady of Bagdad,’ London, 1778, 8vo. The opera, which was given at Drury Lane on 19 Feb. 1778, was not printed. #‘Poems,’ 1781, 8vo. The volume includes dedicatory verses to Richard Brinsley Sheridan, and two bombastic poems, ‘War: an Ode,’ and ‘Innocence: a Poetical Essay,’ which had previously been issued separately. #‘Vortimer, or the True Patriot: a Tragedy,’ London, 1796, 8vo. Among the dramatis personæ are Vortimer's father, Vortigern, his mother Rowena, Hengist, and Horsa. Ireland's ‘Vortigern’ had appeared in March 1795. Neither ‘Vortimer’ nor ‘Olindo and Sophronia’ was acted. Publications Poetry *''Innocence: A poetical essay, in two books''. London: R. & J. Dodsley / E. Withers, 1762. *''War: An ode. London: N. Middleton / M. Folingsby / J. Jolliffe, 1763. *''Nuptial Elegies. London: G. Kearsly / J. Murray, 1774. *''Poems''. London: privately published, 1781. Plays *''Olindo and Sophronia: A tragedy''. London: Josiah Graham / E. Withers, 1758. *''The Indiscreet Lover: A comedy''. London: G. Kearslyy, 1768. *''Songs, Duets, and Finale, in 'The Cady of Bagdad': A comic opera''. London: G. Kearsley, 1778. *''Vortimer; or, The true patriot: A tragedy''. London: privately published, printed by G. Kearsley, 1796. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:Abraham Portal, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Sep. 7, 2016. See also *List of British poets References * . Wikisource, Web, Sep. 7, 2016. Notes External links ;Poems *Abraham Portal (1735 ca.-1796 fl.) info & 6 poems at English Poetry, 1579-1830 ;About * Portal, Abraham Category:1726 births Category:1809 deaths Category:English goldsmiths Category:English dramatists and playwrights Category:English male dramatists and playwrights Category:18th-century poets Category:English-language poets Category:English poets Category:People from Derbyshire Category:Poets